Pelagic Stingray, Blue Stringray
Raya Látigo Pelágica, Raya Látigo Violeta
(Pteroplatytrygon violacea)

Pelagic Stingray, Pteroplatytrygon violacea: The Pelagic Stingray has a deep purple coloration without additional distinguishing markings. The underside is white. The wedge-shaped disc is slightly wider than it is long, convex at the front, with broadly rounded corners, and straight on the sides. The Pelagic Stingray has a broadly rounded snout and small eyes that are unique to rays in that they do not protrude. The middle third of the disc is thick and elevated and covered with one row of thorns that extends to the tail.

The tail of the Pelagic Stingray, which folds underneath, can be up to twice the length of the disc and has a very thick muscular base that tapers to the origin of the serrated spine and then becomes very thin and long. The tail is without a dorsal ridge but has a fleshy ventral ridge from its origin to the base of the spine. The Pelagic Stingray's tail has one or more very venomous spines located one-third of the way down the tail, utilized for defense. The Pelagic Stingray has a gestation period of 2 to 4 months with females giving birth to four to nine adult-like juveniles that measure 6 to 10 inches in width.

The Pelagic is a global nomad and member of the Dasyatidae Family and Pteroplatytrygon Genus which includes the Stingrays. Globally there are a total of 70 known species of stingrays in 6 genera. The Pelagic Stingray is the only member of the Pteroplatytrygon Genus and is found in all global waters between latitudes 50 degrees north and 50 degrees south. Most species of this family are bottom-dwellers that specialize in feeding on buried mollusks and crustaceans.

This fish species is easily confused with two other stingrays found in Mexican fishing waters: the Longtail Stingray, Dasyatis longa (central row of blunt thorns on the back; long slender tail that is greater than twice the length of the disc); and the Whiptail or Diamond Stingray, Dasyatis dipterura (tail equal to the length of the flat disk). The Pelagic Stingray reaches a maximum size of 31.5 inches wide, 63 inches in total length, and about 100 pounds in weight. The females are larger than the males. Unlike most stingrays, Pelagic Stingrays are oceanic swimmers found in the first 330 feet of the water column. It has a broad distribution in Mexican coastal fishing waters, including around the oceanic islands, but they appears to be absent from the Sea of Cortez.

Pelagic Stingray fish picture 9  Pelagic Stingray fish picture 8  Pelagic Stingray fish picture 6

Pelagic Stingray fish picture 4  Pelagic Stingray fish picture 3

Pelagic Stingray fish picture 2  Pelagic Stingray fish picture 1

Pelagic Stingray, Pteroplatytrygon violacea: The first three pictures are of a female whose disc was 21 inches wide and 16.5 inches long, with a 32-inch tail, and a 4-inch stinger. The fourth and fifth pictures are of its stinger. Note that upon collection an octopus has been entangled by the stinger which is shown in detail. The sixth and seventh pictures in the bottom row are of a bambino, 7 inches wide and 5 inches long, with a 17-inch tail with a 3-inch red tip. This bambino was one of five born in our fish box. Description and photos courtesy John Snow.

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